If you’re an iPad user, you probably noticed that you cannot customize the volume buttons based on the orientation of your device. A new feature in iPadOS 15.4 that wasn’t even a part of the beta build is here to take you out of your misery.
Once you flip your iPad to landscape orientation with the volume buttons on the upper edge, you can increase volume by pressing the button on the left and lower it by pressing the one on the right. However, you probably second-guess your choices or fiddle with the controls when the screen is flipped the other way around and volume buttons are on the lower edge. using these buttons will never be the same once you use this new iPadOS feature.
First spotted by Matt Birchler on Twitter, iPadOS 15.4 lets you change the function of the volume buttons based on device orientation. This ensures that no matter which way your iPad is oriented, the right-hand side button will increase the volume while the other will lower it. It also works in portrait mode so the upper button always increases the volume.
Not sure when this got added, but my iPad Pro now lets me do the thing the iPad mini added where volume keys change based on the orientation. I’m too used to the old way, but nice if you switch between devices and want it consistent. pic.twitter.com/d1Fxv2ll3B
— Matt Birchler (@mattbirchler) March 11, 2022
To enable this new feature on your iPad, follow the steps below:
Step 1: Open the Settings app on your iPad. Make sure you’re running iPadOS 15.4
Step 2: Choose the Sounds option from the sidebar on the left-hand side.
Step 3: Scroll to the bottom of the menu that appears and turn off the toggle next to Fixed Position Volume Controls.
It is important to note that the volume buttons are located along the shorter edge of the iPad mini 6 that first had this feature. The new toggle in the iPadOS 15.4 update merely brings the same functionality to older iPads.
We believe it could take some time to get used to dynamic buttons, but the initial discomfort is well worth it. What do you think of this feature? Will you use it? Tell us in the comments.
